System restore

[nocuser_1]

Our VMS admin is away and we need to do a restore. I think I can figure out the commands for that but what I don't know is where the backup logs are so I can find the files I need. Any help you can provide I would be greatful for. VMS 7.1-2

[Dale A. Marcy]

If you can locate the backup saveset, do a backup/list file.ext/sav and the first few lines will show the backup command used to back up the files. Somewhere in that command should be the /list=filespec.ext. That will tell you where the listing file of the backup was created.

[Dale A. Marcy]

Output message before thinking. That same command gives you the listing of all files stored in the saveset.

[Hoff]

This question is unfortunately impossible to answer in anything other than the most generic of terms. There are just too many ways to perform system BACKUP operations. Or not perform them. Or to perform them with questionable results. There are just too many variables here.

You're either going to get a very serious course in system management and system recovery and in BACKUP itself, or you'll want to get in contact with your system manager. Or a visit with somebody that can help you dig through your archive(s) and figure out what you have for BACKUPs. (If anything.)

Normally you boot the distribution CD or a copy of the bootable environment installed on the disk, and issue the command

BACKUP /IMAGE /VERIFY fr_ddcu: /SAVE to_ddcu:

This restores the first saveset on the fr_ddcu: tape onto the specified target device.

Where fr_ddcu: is the tape or disk containing the backup, and to_ddcu: is the target disk device. You may need to add the savesaet name and potentially the saveset directory to the fr_ddcu: specification, depending on the source.

If you need to perform an individual file restore, that can be found with a /SELECT=[dir]file.ext qualfier, and a command similar to:

BACKUP fr_ddcu:saveset /SAVE -
/SELECT=[dir]file.ext ddcu:[scratch]

And I'd send the restored file to a scratch directory until and unless you have the right one. As with the disk image restore, you'll need to figure out and know which saveset to use, and other such details.

You can list the contents of tapes with a non-foreign MOUNT and a DIRECTORY of the tape, and you can list the contents of the savesets with BACKUP ddcu: /SAVE /LIST.

And the usual caveats: you can damage a production environment (badly) with errant commands, including the use of BACKUP commands and system privileges.

There's a section at the back of the System Management Utilities Reference manual's chapter on BACKUP that shows the usual and typical BACKUP commands for various operations.

http://www.hp.com/go/openvms/doc/

And welcome to the ITRC forums.

Stephen Hoffman
HoffmanLabs LLC

[nocuser_1]

How do I find the backup saveset? Sorry I'm not very experienced with VMS.

[Dale A. Marcy]

The answer to finding the backup saveset is very dependent on your local setup. Most likely it is written to tape. It is the file that contains everything that is backed up (i.e., the output of the backup operation). As Hoff correctly stated, you may need to contact your VMS admin.

[nocuser_1]

Is there a default location for the backup archives?

[Dale A. Marcy]

Sorry, no default (other than the directory where located when issuing the backup command). The output is specified in the backup command that is issued.

[Jon Pinkley]

What is doing your backups while your VMS admin is away?

Looking at what does that would be a good clue to someone that is familiar with VMS.

Hopefully there is someone at your site, or you have an support organization that can remotely access your system to handle issues when the admin is away.

This all assumes you don't need to restore the system disk, and you still have a working system.

[Hoff]

There's no requirement and no evidence as yet that there even are any system backups around.

We don't know what tool is used to create the archive. This is BACKUP most usually, but not always. I've seen zip used. Other tools (SLS, OVDP, EMC Legato, etc) can also be used. Databases have their own and specialized tools.

We don't know where the archives are stored.

We don't know what sort of disk or tape is used for the archives.

We don't know if encryption was used.

We don't know what sort of cycle is involved, whether this is a periodic full BACKUP, or full and incremental, or an ad-hoc archival processing.

We don't know that the backups were made with files in a static and restorable environment. More than a few folks get into trouble with /IGNORE=INTERLOCKS, as the file system integrity interlocks can get cranky when they get ignored.

And if this is a whole-disk system disk restore of any of a variety of typical on-line BACKUP operations and BACKUP commands, some manual stitching can be required. And there can be further local steps and customizations required, depending on the disk and the configuration and the processing required.

There's no "instant magic automatic restore" button or knob. Sorry. This is going to take some work, even if you're the fellow that set up the archive, and even if the process was set up correctly and has been regularly tested. If not...

This really is immensely open-ended...

[nocuser_1]

Ok, I'm trying to find some more details so that hopefully someone can help me get this done.
It only one group of files that I need restored and I know that we use the the backup command utility. we also use tape for our backups.

[Jan van den Ende]

nocuser,

>>>
I know that we use the the backup command utility. we also use tape for our backups
<<<

Well, that IS great info!

Now, you have to find your tapes, and find a way to select the correct one.

If that collection is not overly large, load each one of them.
Say your tape drive is Mxxx. (if you know that, fine, otherwise, ASK!! )

$ MOUNT/FOREIGN Mxxx:

$ BACKUP/LIST Mxxx:

Repeat until you have the desired tape.

Tis DOES require quite a lot of patience!

Remember the EXACT spelling of the desired files.
Try to contruct a common wildcard description (or at least a VERY limited set of wildcards)

$ SET MAG/REWIND Mxxx:

If more than one files (savesets) are on the tape, remember the EXACT filename; if just one, use *.*

$ BACKUP Mxxx: /SELECT= /OWNER=ORIGINAL/LO

(be aware of forum text warapping here, YOUR cammand should be single-line)

( the "<" and ">" 's are just description limiters, NOT part of the syntax)

But PLEASE, remember, you ARE playing with fire. If anyway in doubt, FIRST ask here!!!

Success, and good luck!

Proost.

Have one on me.

jpe

[Guenther Froehlin]

Good chance you are using an archiving tool on your system like ABS/MDMS, Data Protector, Tivoli, Networker...

These are the utilites who know what each save set contains and most likely where it is located.

/Guenther

[Jon Pinkley]

Adding to Jan's advice:

Before you put the tape in the drive, write protect it. Most tapes will have an icon of a closed padlock when the tab is in the correct position.

$ MOUNT/FOREIGN/nounload Mxxx:

The first thing that is displayed after the command is entered should be:

%MOUNT-I-WRITELOCK, volume is write locked

If you see

%MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, TAPELABEL mounted on _MYNODE$MYTAPE:

and you didn't see the WRITELOCK before it, you don't have your tape write protected.

I would recommend that you not proceed until it is write protected.

$ DISMOUNT/UNLOAD Mxxx:

Remove tape and protect the tape.

Repeat previous steps until you see the WRITELOCK message.

When you are restoring from a tape, you don't need write access, and it is a worthwhile bladeguard if you are not familiar with the tools.

[Robert Gezelter]

nocuser,

As Hoff as said this is a truly open ended question. Please use extreme caution in attempting to restore files.

One of the fundamental rules from physicians is appropriate here: First, Do no harm.

It is far, far simpler to research carefully than it is to recover from a problem.

If there is any doubt, and the admin is not reachable (it is cheaper to make a satellite call to a cruise ship than to fix an error), consider retaining expertise with an in-depth understanding of OpenVMS and its related utilities [Disclosure: We do provide such services].

I for one would far rather invoice a client for a 15 minute or 30 minute consult than do a full system reconstruction taking days.

- Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com

[Jan van den Ende]

By all means: _DO_ follow Jon's advice!

And Bob also has a good point: What WILL be the cost (directly AND indirectly) of some days downtime?

_DO_ try to get in touch with your system manager, at (practicly) ANY price.

And if not possible, you are in the USA, I am in Europe, but eg Hoff, Bob, and Hein (of the frequent visitors here) are in the US, and WELL worth their money.

hth

Proost.

Have one on me.

jpe

[The Brit]

As you will have gathered from the responses so far, this is not an easy question to answer. However the prime requirement is information.

There are several ways that your backup could be done, either,

1. As Guenther suggested, via a 3rd-party package, (add also ABClient which is a VMS agent for TSM), this method is fairly common, and if this is how you site does this, then the restore will be Product-specific.

2. The backups could be done using OpenVMS native Backup Utility. If this is the method then there are still two clear options,

a) he does the backups manually, i.e. interactively. This is highly unlikely, but if true, then you really dont have anywhere to go except to your Sys Admin since there is no way of knowing what command(s) he used, whether he generated listing, or where he directed the backup save sets.
b) The most likely option is that he does the backups in BATCH mode. If this is the case, then there are probably backup jobs sitting in a batch queue somewhere waiting for the next execution. Cross your fingers, this would be the place to start.

type

$ show queue/batch/all/full/page

read the output carefully. Try to identify the job which is going to do your backup. If you can, then the output also lists the name and location of the command file that it will execute, and the destination/location for the logfile. Note: If there is no specified location for the logfile, then it will be created in the login directory of the user under who's ID the backup job is going to run (assuming that they specified "/NoPrint" (should also show up in the output from the above command).
If they did not specify "/NoPrint", then the log file will be queued to print on the Printer defined by the logical SYS$PRINT. (type SHOW LOGICAL SYS$PRINT to find out which printer that is)

If you have been lucky, then you could now have both the command file used to do the backup (which will tell you where the backups are being directed, tape label names, etc) and also the Log file from previous runs (which should include other interesting stuff)

If you get to this point, then you could refer back to this group to get information on how to interpret commands or logfile output.

Good Luck

Dave.